The Ottawa Lions are looking for volunteers to support the hosting of the 2013 Boiling Point Track Classic. We are looking for volunteers for both Friday July 5th and Saturday July 6th.
Boiling Point 2013, the premier athletics competition in Canada for athletes with a physical disability, will be contested Saturday, July 6th, 2013. The Boiling Point has cemented itself as a Global leader within the international calendar of Para-athletics competitions.
If interested, please email, boilingpointmeet@gmail.com
Lions pick up 14 medals on final two days of championships
Moncton — It was a successful final two days at the Canadian Championships for the Ottawa Lions as both able bodied and athletes with a disability combined to bring home 14 more medals to raise the total from the championship to 25.
In the final session of the championship, former roommates Sultana Frizell and Melissa Bishop each captured national titles and confirmed there place on the Canadian team that will participate in Moscow this August. Both athletes entered as the top seed in the respective events and looked comfortable on their way to victory.
With the women’s 800m going through the opening lap in 62 seconds, it was clear no IAAF A standards would be set and that a victory would be essential to ensure a spot on the world championship team for Bishop. As she has done countless times, Melissa bided her time before utilizing her speed to sprint away from the field. In the final meters, with victory comfortably within her reach, the normally quiet Bishop threw up her hands in excitement at her first senior national title in 2:02.84.
In the field, Sultana Frizell took back the national crown that had eluded her the past two years as her throw of 68.23m topped the field by more than four meters. Frizell did have some longer throws, but had trouble keeping the ball within the sector lines as her fifth round effort cracked a hole in the 70m marker. With one of the biggest personalities in the sport, Frizell would later accept her gold medal after performing a cart wheel on to the medal stand.
Other gold medals came from Paralympian Brandon King who doubled up in the T12 100m and 200m with times of 12.30 and 25.00 seconds respectively. Fellow Paralympians Jon Dunkerley (T11 100m), Rachael Burrows (T34 200m) and Curtis Thom (T54 200m) also picked up sprint championships over the two days. Meanwhile Josh Cassidy continued to show his vast range by grabbing a silver in the T54 800m less than 24 hours after picking up the 10,000m title in 24:09.97.
The final gold of the championship came from one of the last events as Devin Biocchi, Oluwasegun Makinde, Michael Robertson and Gordon Frenke combined to win gold in the 4x100m relay in a time of 40.22 seconds, beating a composite team of Ontario runners.. The time is the second best performance ever by the club, just 0.07 seconds off the club record of 40.15 set in 2011 by Makinde, Robertson and Olympians Oluseyi Smith and Richard Adu-Bobie. In addition to their relay gold, Robertson and Makinde each picked up individual bronze – Robertson in the 400m and Makinde in the 200m. Makinde, in fact, missed silver by the narrowest of margins, 0.002 seconds, losing to Olympic teammate Jared Connaughten of PEI.
Rounding out the medalists from the weekend were Adam Palamar and Sekou Kaba who repeated as silver medalist in the 110m hurdles in a time of 14.03 seconds. Kaba, who battled injuries most of the indoor season, had been in the lead most of the race before giving up critical hundredths of a second after hitting hurdles eight and nine. He was beaten to the line by Ingvar Mosley of Toronto by just 0.02 seconds.
In the men’s 1500m, Adam Palamar did what no Ottawa Lion male had been able to do since 1998 – win a national championship medal. Despite still being a junior aged athlete, Palamar has showed he can run with the “big boys” after finishing second, as the top Canadian, in the most recent NTL stop in Toronto with a personal best time of 3:41. In the final, Adam bided his time in the middle of the pack before making a surge with 400m to go. He would eventually be passed by Olympian Nathan Brannen with 200m to go and finally by Jeremy Rae in the homestretch. Palamar will look to add to his national medal tally later next month as he sets out to defend his junior title in St. Therese, Quebec.
From this championship, seven athletes have secured their spot on a world championship team and are as follows.
Selected to represent Canada at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Moscow are:
- Melissa Bishop – 800m
- Sultana Frizell – Hammer Throw
Selected to represent Canada at the IPC World Athletic Championships in Lyon are:
- Josh Cassidy – T54 Wheelchair
- Jason Dunkerley and guide Joshua Karanja – T11 Ambulatory
- Jon Dunkerley and guide Brian Cummings – T11 Ambulatory
- Curtis Thom – T54 Wheelchair
- Rachael Burrows – T34 Wheelchair
Five more medals on day two
Moncton — Friday was another successful day here in Moncton at the Canadian Track and Field Championships as Lions athletes added five more medals to the vault, highlighted by golds from Paralympic athletes Curtis Thom and Jason Dunkerley.
On the heels of his victory in Thursday’s T54 100m, Thom demonstrated his range by claiming the 400m title as well in 48.22 seconds. The time was just off Curtis’ seasonal best performance of 48.06 seconds set back in May at a meet in Switzerland. A finalist a last summer’s Paralympic Championships, Thom will be in contention to be named to Canada’s team for the upcoming IPC World Championships in Lyon, France.
Also ascending to the top of the podium yesterday was multiple Paralympic medalist Jason Dunkerley as he captured the T11 800m crown. Dunkerley, who was competing in just his third race since donating a kidney to his wife earlier this year took the title in 2:07.35. Finishing second in the race was Jason’s brother Jon in a time of 2:15.44.
In the decathlon, Patrick Arbour captured his third national championship medal in four years with a silver. Arbour had previously won bronze in 2010 and 2012. The former University of Ottawa Gee-Gee’s score of 7254 points was his second best performance ever in the event and sets him up nicely as he heads off to Kazan, Russia next week to compete in the World University Games.
Rounding out the medalists on day two was Joshua Cassidy, who captured a bronze in the T54 5000m.
Burrows, Thom and Des Brisay capture gold on day 1
Moncton — The Ottawa Lions got off to a great start at the 2013 Canadian Championships on Thursday with club athletes picking up a total of six medals on day one. The senior championships are making their first appearance at the Moncton 2010 stadium and Paralympians Rachael Burrows and Curtis Thom wasted no time in capturing gold.
Burrows, a sixth place finisher at the Paralympics last year, easily defended her T34 100m title in a time of 23.21. Rachael will also before competing in the 200m event on Saturday evening before she heads across the pond to a grand prix meet in Birmingham, England next week.
For Curtis Thom, yesterday’s weather was a welcome break from the cold and rain he’s experienced at recent races in Switzerland. With the sun shining and temperature on the track in high 20’s, Thom turned in an excellent performance with a 14.70 second clocking. He will also compete in the 200m and 400m this weekend.
The final gold came in the T20 1500m with Tommy Des Brisay taking the title with a 4:41.39 clocking. Others to pick up medals were were Jon Dunkerley and his guide Brian Cumming who picked up silver in the T11 400m and Jared Broughton in the T13 1500m. The final medal of the day came from Josh Cassidy who rolled his way to a silver as well in the T54 1500m in 3:27.81.
Palamar and Bishop shine at Toronto NTL stop
A late addition to the Toronto International Track and Field Games start list last night, 1500m runner Adam Palamar certainly made it clear to organizers he deserved to be in the field of top level runners, including multiple Olympians. Palamar, who just recently finished his first season the University of Tulsa, looked comfortable running with the big boys as he sped to a new lifetime best of 3:41.34 and a second place finish. The Merivale High School grad was the top Canadian in the field, defeating defending national champion and two time Olympian Nate Brannen. With his third PB in as many months, Palamar has dropped just over 10 seconds off his best time, with Tuesday’s effort moving him to seventh on the club’s all-time list. His time also set a new 1500m junior standard for the club, dipping a mere 0.09 seconds below Mike Woods’ mark set while winning the 2005 Panamerican Junior title.
For Melissa Bishop, Tuesday’s 800m tour of Varsity Stadium was another race, and another World Championship B standard. Patiently biding her time through 600m, Bishop found another gear with 200m to go before speeding past British national, Marilyn Okoro in the final 100m, crossing the line in 2:00.84. With the time, Melissa is currently the top ranked Canadian female over 800m, but will undoubtedly be searching for a sub two minute performance at the Canadian Championships next weekend in Moncton to punch her ticket for this summer’s World Championships in Moscow.
Other medal winners at the second stop of the National Track League schedule included hurdler Sekou Kaba who finished second behind decathlete Damian Warner of London in a season’s best 13.94 seconds and hammer thrower Sultana Frizell who finished third with a toss of 69.29m. Like Bishop, Frizell is also the top ranked Canadian heading into nationals and will be looking for the elusive 72m throw in Moncton to secure her spot in Moncton.
Lions athletes claim 14 medals at OFSAA
While the weather may have been cool, the numerous Lions competing at last weekend’s OFSAA Track and Field Championships in Oshawa laid down some pretty hot performances on the track and in the field. Headlining the list of accomplishments was Charifa Labarang, who can now officially be called the fastest high school girl in Ontario as she claimed gold in both the senior 100m and 200m. After setting a new personal best of 11.88 seconds in the 100m prelims, Labarang returned to the finals with her second best performance ever, 11.93, to win over Rebecca Murray by 0.04 seconds. Charifa’s time in the prelims now moves her up to number four all-time in club history. Not to be outdone, the senior at Omer-Deslauriers followed up that performance with another life time best in the 200m, 24.56 seconds, to edge out triple World Youth medallist, Christian Brennan of St. Mary’s in Hamilton. Her 200m time moves her up a notch to number eight in club history.
In the field, grade 11 student Zach Kerr was looking for not only a third straight OFSAA gold in the pole vault, but also a new personal best that hopefully punch his ticket to Donetsk, Ukraine for this summer’s IAAF World Youth Championships. The Hillcrest Hawk did not disappoint in either vein. Kerr, who was the last to the enter the competition, at 4.05m, made quick work of his first three heights and clinched gold with a 4.30m clearance. He struggled at 4.40m, using all three attempts to successfully clear the barrier, before clearing the world standard 4.55m on his second attempt. With his new personal best, Kerr now moves up a couple notches to fourth on the club all-time list.
The final gold came from hurdler Geoff Lawson who triumphed in the junior boys 100m hurdles. His winning time of 13.54 seconds was nearly a half second improvement over his previous best entering the competition and just 0.2 seconds off the OFSAA record. For Lawson, an accomplished hockey player, this was his second career OFSAA medal after having won silver in last year’s midget boys 300m hurdles.
In the middle distance and distance races, Lions runners turned in a number very impressive performances. Chief among those was Claire Smith who broke the previous OFSAA record in the junior girls 3000m but still only finished third in 9:55.95. Smith’s previous best in the event had been 10:13.00 set back in May. In the senior girls 3000m, Olivia Robertson annihilated her previous best, dropping more than 25 seconds off her personal best as she crossed the line finish line in 9:46.77 for bronze. In the junior girls 800m, Erinn Stenman-Fahey knocked more than six seconds off her best to claim bronze in 2:12.29. In the midget boy’s category, Owen Day added to his OFSAA XC silver from the fall, winning another silver in the 1500m and picking up a bronze in the 800m. In both races, Day improved his personal best by more than six seconds.
Rounding out the list of medalists were Ashley Connell who finished second in the senior girls shot put with a personal best heave of 13.18m. The most decorated Lion of the weekend was Wade Embury who picked up a silver and bronze in the 200m and 400m respectively before leading his school to silver in the 4x400m. Also grabbing a relay medal were Alex Telford and Clara Phillips who lead Brookfield HS to silver in the senior girls 4x100m.
Murphy earns All-American distinction
As Samantha Murphy walked off the track at Historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon Friday night, she did so as the second fastest female Lion ever over 800m. Running at the NCAA Championships, Murphy leap frogged past former club record holder Grace Verbeek with her new personal best time of 2:02.10 to finish fifth.
Murphy has had a breakout season at the University of Illinois that has seen her lifetime best in the event drop by more than six seconds. With her fifth place finish, Murphy also earned her second All-American distinction of the school year. She had previously placed fourth in the NCAA Indoor Championships in March.
Maddex, Makinde Robertson compete in NTL opener
A trio of Lions headed east to Halifax this weekend to compete in the first stop of the 2013 National Track League Circuit, Aileen Meagher International, on Sunday night. Hurdler Ashlea Maddex continued her strong season, placing fourth in the strong field, ahead of Olympic finalist Phylicia George, with a wind aided time of 13.49 seconds.
In the men’s 200m, Oluwasegun Makinde placed second behind fellow Olympian Tremaine Harris in a a time of 21.18 seconds. Meanwhile in the 400m, Michael Robertson, finished fourth in 47.69.
Rodriguez and Garcia take Pan American Combined Events Cup
Ottawa. – Cuba’s defending champion Yorgelis Rodriguez and Yordani Garcia took the top honours of the 2nd Pan American Combined Events Cup, which draws athletes from 12 countries at Ottawa’s Terry Fox Athletic Facility.
Jennifer Cotten and Ottawa Lions’ Patrick Arbour were Canada’s top ranked athletes in sixth and tenth, respectively.
The overnight leaders kept their lead on the second day. World Junior champion Rodriguez totalled 5947 and Garcia 8141points, both meet records.
Paraguay’s Ana Pirelli Cubas improved her national record to take silver in 5683, ahead of USA’s Lindsay Schwartz (5645). Second after the first day, 2011 World Youth Champion Yusleidys Mendieta had a slow 800m and was relegated to fourth with 5560.
Garcia started Sunday with a 116-point lead over USA’s Gray Horn and increased it by dominating the Pole Vault with 4.80. Mendieta dominated the Javelin with 14 meters more than Horn to move up to second place. He held that position in the 1500m and scored 7766 points to make it 1-2 for Cuba. Horn rounded up the podium with 7581.
“I am happy with the way I competed. I wanted a higher score, but the weather did not cooperate and could not perform well in my strongest events on the second day. I hope to compete next at (the IAAF Combined Events Challenge) event in Ratingen, Germany later in June and reach the A Standard (8200) for the World Championships in Moscow,” Garcia said.
“I am especially happy with my Long Jump and came close to my PB in the Pole Vault. Now in my third Olympic cycle I need to work on the most technical events,” said Garcia, who dedicated his win to his 14-month daughter Fabianys.
The two-time Olympian won the 2009 NACAC Championships in Havana with a still standing personal best of 8496.
Patrick Arbour threw the best result in the Discus on Sunday and moved up from tenth to seventh overall with his second highest score ever (7183), due mainly to the farthest Discus throw of the day (46.42).
“I have two other international competitions this year. Any time that I get to compete with Canada on my chest I use it as a building experience for bigger competitions. I want to be competitive. I don’t want to be just one of the best in Canada. I want to compete against these guys more regularly. I see them as my motivation and having my experience against these guys makes it more motivating for next time I get to do it Russia,” commented Arbour.
“You spend two guys with these guys. There is really like a brotherhood. You get through the events with them. To finish a Decathlon with someone, it is a feeling you can’t really explain. It is like a team sport. It is really great to start and finish with people. For two days you get to know them really well. They become your friends,” added the Ottawa Lions athlete, who will next compete at the Nationals in Moncton June 20-21, before representing Canada at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia, in July.
In the Heptathlon, 2012 World Junior champion Yorgelis Rodriguez never had her lead threatened and won comfortably with more than 250 points ahead of her closest rival.
“I am happy with the victory but I expected more after a good first day. I had a poor Long Jump and I could not perform well in the Javelin. I do not blame the weather, although it was a factor in the Long Jump. I am especially happy with my performance in the 100m Hurdles. I learn in every Heptathlon and I will continue to prepare for the World Championships in Moscow,” commented 18-year old Rodriguez.
Jennifer Cotten produced the best Long Jump of the day and finished sixth overall with 5379 points, one place ahead of Canadian Interuniversity indoor champion Rachael McIntosh (5307). In only her third Heptathlon, Rachel Machin totalled 5285 to finish ninth.
“In the hurdles, I started off OK, hit a hurdle and did not what I wanted. That was the story for the whole meet. Not quite what I wanted. Now I am looking forward to Nationals. The weather was not too bad. I am usually pretty good at accepting it and moving on. I was or pleased with my hurdles despite the time,” said Cotten, who won the Pan American Cup bronze medal here in 2012.
By adding the total of the best two athletes in both the Decathlon and Heptathlon, Cuba lifted Pan American Cup as the best country overall. The Mayor of the City of Ottawa, Jim Watson, attended the closing and awards ceremony.
Organized by the Association of Pan American Athletics (APA) Athletics Canada and Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club, the Pan American Combined Events Cup is viewed by many federations as a great opportunity to develop up and coming athletes in the current cycle leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
For full results, please go to https://ottawalions.com/results/2013-results/2013-panamerican-combined-events-cup/
Rodriguez and Garcia lead Pan American Combined Events Cup after Day 1
Ottawa. – Cuba’s defending champion Yorgelis Rodriguez and Yordani Garcia are the overnight leaders of the 2nd Pan American Combined Events Cup, which draws athletes from 12 countries at Ottawa’s Terry Fox Athletic Facility.
Rachel Machin and Patrick Arbour are Canada’s top ranked in seventh and tenth, respectively.
Two-time Olympian Garcia opened with 10.78 in 100m and kept the lead throughout the hot and humid day. The 24-year old ended Day1 of the Decathlon with the fastest 400m (49.47) to total 4224 points, ahead of USA’s Gray Horn (4108) and Cuba’s defending champion Jose A. Mendieta (4052).
“I felt very well, especially in the Long Jump. I had not jumped this far in a long while. It is a good meet to start the season. I look forward to a good second day,” said Garcia.
Ottawa Lions Patrick Arbour scored his second best Day 1 with 3646 to rank tenth. “I ran a PB in 100m and struggled a bit in the Shot Put, but stayed consistent. I had my second best (result) in the High Jump, but ran my worst 400m in three years. I went out too fast and blew up with 100m to go. My strongest events are on Day 2: 110m Hurdles, Discus and Javelin,” commented Arbour, who was nominated to represent Canada at the World University Games in Kazan this summer.
In the Heptathlon, World Junior gold medallist Rodriguez performed in a similar fashion, running a personal best of 13.68 in 100m Hurdles. She cleared 1.83 in the High Jump and dominated the Shot Put with 13.17. The 18-year old ended the first day with another personal best (24.29 in 200m) to take his tally to 3732.
Her training partner and 2011 World Youth Champion Yusleidys Mendieta (3584) and USA’s Lindsay Schwartz (3427) are trailing in second and third.
In only her third heptathlon, the first one competing for Team Canada, 21-year old Rachel Machin led the Canadian trio in seventh place with 3307 points, ahead of 2012 Pan American Combined Events Cup bronze medallist Jennifer Cotton (3258) and fellow University of Calgary athlete and Canadian Interuniversity indoor champion Rachel McIntosh (3205).
“This is my first heptathlon with team Canada. I ran a PB in 100m Hurdles (14.07) and I was very happy with my PB in the High Jump (1.86). I had three good events, but need to work on the Shot Put. I want to thank my coach Les Gramantik for my progress. I am excited about the Long Jump and Javelintomorrow,” said 21-year old Machin.
Organized by the Association of Pan American Athletics (APA) Athletics Canada and Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club, the Pan American Combined Events Cup is viewed by many federations as a great opportunity to develop up and coming athletes in the current cycle leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
For full results, please go to http://ottlliveresults.x10.mx/Pan-Am/
Teams start to arrive for the Pan American Combined Events Cup
Ottawa. – Brazil’s Powerade Team became the first squad to arrive here for the 2nd Pan American Combined Events Cup, to be held this weekend at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility in Canada’s capital city.
Nineteen-year old athletes Kerindê Hilario de Souza Brites da Silva and Karen Maria Cerqueira Lopes will have their first international experience in an event that expects the participation of close to 60 athletes from 12 countries.
“Our goal is to prepare these athletes to make the Olympic standard in combined or individual events for Rio 2016 or the 2020 (Olympic) Games,” said team manager José Luiz Bello after the duo’s first training session on Monday.
“We would like to offer them here the opportunity to compete at a higher level. We believe it is very important in their evolution as athletes,” he added.
The Rio de Janeiro-based team are the only Brazilian representatives for the continental event.
Led by defending champions Jose A. Mendieta and Yorgelis Rodriguez, the 8-member Cuban squad is expected to arrive on Wednesday. The team also includes two-time Olympian Yordanis Garcia, who boasts the highest score among all registered decathletes with a personal best of 8496.
In the women’s event, 2012 World Junior champion Rodriguez will be joined by 2011 World Youth gold medallist Yusleidys Mendieta.
Canada’s hopes are centered on Jennifer Cotton and Ottawa Lions’ Patrick Arbour. Cotton aims to improve her bronze medal from 2012. Fifth a year ago, Arbour looks forward to bettering his performance after posting a personal best of 7593 in early April. The Ottawa Lions athlete was nominated to represent Canada at the World University Games in Kazan this summer.
Canadian Interuniversity indoor champion Rachael McIntosh is also registered.
The nine-member USA team is led Gray Horn, third at the 2012 National Championships with a personal best of 7954, and Aisha Adams (5861), who hopes for better luck after failing to finish her Heptathlon in Ottawa in 2012.
Athletes from Aruba, Belize, Costa Rica, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Paraguay and Puerto Rico are also expected to arrive over the next two days before the start of the competition on Saturday.
Victor Lopez, president of the Association of Pan American Athletics (APA), will arrive in Ottawa on Wednesday and will address the technical meeting on Friday.
Organized by APA, Athletics Canada and Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club, the Pan American Combined Events Cup is viewed by many federations as a great opportunity to develop up and coming athletes in the current cycle leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
For more information, please go to http://www.americasathletics.org/ and https://ottawalions.com/.